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Perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver): Stand behind the person and wrap your arms around the person's waist. For a child, you may have to kneel. Make a fist with one hand. Place the thumb side of your fist just above the person's navel, well below the breastbone. Grasp the fist tightly with your other hand. Make a quick, upward and inward thrust with your fist. Check if the object is dislodged.
For pregnant or obese people: Wrap your arms around the person's CHEST. Place your fist on the MIDDLE of the breastbone. Make firm, backward thrusts. Check if the object is dislodged.
Continue to give a total of 5 abdominal thrusts. Keep performing rounds of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts. Continue to give a total of 5 abdominal thrusts (or chest thrusts for pregnant and obese people) until the object is dislodged or the person loses consciousness.
Review Date 2/10/2026
Updated by: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
